Static

We haven't been able to move as we are still waiting on the phone call, so not a lot to write about. Paul has been keeping in with the neighbours here. One of them, who has a little plastic cruiser  asked if he knew anything about engines as his outboard had packed up. Needless to say it is now fixed and the guy is as pleased as punch and took it for a spin and said it is the best it has run for years.

Nick on the boat behind us has decided to take up fishing again Paul gave him one of his old rods and a reel and he has been out and  bought some line and weights etc., the pair of them have spent a few hours sat on the bank. Nick has caught a few fish, Paul has caught crayfish, talking of which, the chap opposite has just lifted his crayfish cage and it has about 6 large ones in it so all round his for a BBQ.

Between showers I took the dogs out and as I came back there was Paul scurrying under the bridge in front of us. When he came back he was spitting feathers. Apparently while he was changing his face from winter to summer mode (shaving his beard off) an old work boat and butty (Hercules and Neptune I think) came through the bridge and the narrowboat DAYDREAM coming in the opposite direction decided in his infinite wisdom to throttle up instead of down and barge his way through and of course smacked into us taking another few feet of paint off. Paul was mid shave (lucky he was using an electric razor!!!) of course he got into the cratch and gave the steerer a load of verbal with no apology forthcoming, he tells me the guys on the work boats couldn't believe their eyes and one said “ I wonder which marina he has come out of for the weekend”. Paul was off the boat and under the bridge to catch up with them like a rat up a drainpipe. He went into his usual rant about slowing down past moored boats and was told “leave it out mate I've got problems with my gear box” Paul said it is not a problem with your gear box its a problem with your andy on the end of your army using the throttle. You would think if he had gear box problems he would be taking it easy and not going at the extreme speed he was or better still he could have waited for the work boats to pass which would have aborted any sort of collision,  he was obviously made aware of his wrong doing with still no apology, just glad I wasn't there to witness all this.

What can I say about this weather, suppose the heat wave we had was our summer. Fire is alight as I write this and we have to wait until Wednesday now to see if our job has been done.

At last, a bit of the wet stuff.

This morning in the sun I helped Tranquility down the first 5 locks not that they needed my help as at everyone there was a boat coming up, still many hands and all that. I had decided today was going to be rug cleaning day as the warmth would dry the rugs mega fast. I also cleaned the windows (bad move). So while waiting for the rugs to dry I made a loaf and while kneading it to within an inch of its life quite  a few boats went past. I then got a text from Betty telling me one of these passing boats had relayed to her that I was making bread and had two dogs one bigger than the other, it was a good job I wasn't doing something I shouldn't have been doing and which boat was the “spy” I don't know.

 

Not bad for a first attempt and no it isn't a funny shape we just had to have a slice to taste while it was still warm.Around 4 the black clouds rolled in so I got the dogs out quickly before the heavens opened and boy did it come down.

Paul took advantage while it was raining and cleaned the side of the boat down of the accumulated dust.

We have also discovered we have a lodger, think we need to charge him rent.

He was a bit put out when I opened the window as I wrecked his web, didn't take long for a new one to appear though.

Paul as gone off down the pub with the guy off of the boat behind us, now if I asked him to go out in the pouring rain I am sure you can imagine what the response would be………

Burnt to a crisp…….

With the weather having been so glorious we have spent a lot of time on the tow path in the sun, although I must admit we have all retired on board between the hours of 12 and 3 as it has just been too darned hot, but hey I am not complaining although the dogs have really been suffering so it has been early morning, late evenings for walks.

I have had a lovely weekend down in Kent with the family and did absolutely nothing so no different from being on the boat really but the company was different ( you thought I was going to say nicer didn't you!!!!). While I was away Paul found a local Chinese so Saturday bought himself a take away and it lasted him for Sunday as well so I had a full fridge when I returned.

Today Betty and I caught the bus and went to Coventry where I bought myself a nice shopping trolley. We then got another bus to Bedworth, but managed to get the slowest bus in the world that went all round the houses, when we eventually got there we called in the huge Tesco and I managed to get enough shopping to fill my new trolley. we got back to find the boys on the tow path with a beer in hand.

Where we are moored has been lovely and quiet we may have to stay here a few more days as we are waiting on a phone call re some work we are having done just hope it is before the weekend so we can move out into the country but saying that the town has been festooned with bunting and apparently there is a lot going on so we may stay and celebrated the jubilee with the locals we could always have a tow path party.

What a scorcher!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday we left our mooring at bridge 24 and travelled in the lovely sunshine to b34 stopping on the way at Springwood Haven for diesel and for Paul to talk to Kevin the On-board Energy man.

So this will be our mooring until tomorrow.

With Tranquility moored behind us.

Looking forward towards bridge 34

A few boats joined us last night but they all went on their merry way this morning. One of these was nb Bendigedig  Elsie stopped for a chat while Eric set off on his way.

The weather has been unbelievable  and lots of boats have been passing by taking advantage of the good weather, after all you never know how long it is going to last. At least the men have tackled at least one job each after which they had to stop for a rest which had lasted throughout the remainder of the day. They are now on their first beer.

I am planning to go down to Kent this weekend so we will moor in or near Atherstone so I can get the train.

At last!!!!!!!!

We were on the Ashby for about a month and in all that time Paul has spent a fair amount of time fishing with no luck whatsoever, but yesterday evening while we were moored at hospital bend he caught a FISH and here it is:

 

Not the biggest of fish but there you go.

A few minutes after he caught this he managed to catch one of those nasty signal cray fish who are a foreign import devastating our native cray fish stocks, needless to say it didn't go back into the cut and no we didn't eat it………….

This morning we set off  leaving the Ashby behind us and heading onto the rubbish laden Nuneaton stretch of the Coventry canal. On our way through we caught up with Betty and Graham who were just leaving their weekend mooring by bridge 19. We are now both moored up in the country. We have to call into Springwood Haven in the morning as we need diesel think we will then make for Atherstone as I would like to go to Kent and see the family as it has been a while.

Nice cruising day.

Well I have a nice haircut, picked up the prescriptions although they are still to be dispensed so today we moved. Quite a long day for us 4 hours cruising but it was such a lovely day and we only saw a handful of boats with nothing following us at all.

Dadlington church on the horizon.

Closer now.

The whole of the journey had the smell of the Rape wafting by and by the looks of the fields it is nearly ready to be harvested.

One thing I like about Leicestershire is the way the foot paths are so well marked. At least you can see the posts how ever far away they are.

Wish all footpaths were so clearly defined.

Had a bit of a result at Market Bosworth I finally managed to get a picture of the Steam Train and I didn't get wet either.

Bought back many happy memories of my holidays to Margate when I was a little girl as we always went by steam train, heaven help you if you looked out of the window as you always got a face full of smuts from the chimney.

Paul finally got round to finishing off the polishing, and as was predicted in previous posts  he found that more filled holes (not welded as instructed ) have collapsed in on themselves. The outer edges are now rusting and Paul has only one solution of how to remedy the situation, which will be to drill out the filler and insert a pop rivet and apply paint. Paul says if this carries on any more with the rest of the holes giving way it will become a colander and I will be able to strain my greens.

Incompetence or what!!!!!!!!!!

We will soon be off of the Ashby canal and we have had a lovely time, there still lots of nice little mooring spots we have to try out and hopefully when we return one day there will be a few fish for Paul to catch as so far he hasn't caught tiddly squat.

There and back.

Bus passes came into their own yesterday when Betty and I went to Leicester. I have never been there and as the men were “doing” we girls had a pleasant few hours out just strolling around. Our journey from Shackerstone on Friday was a bit blowy but it was fine so that's all that matters.

The tractor event in the words of the men “was an absolute waste of time and money” but there you go. It was such a lovely day that we spent the afternoon sat on the tow path.

This morning saw us having a wander round the water park which is just up the road from the moorings. It was very busy as there was a half marathon going on as well. We splashed the cash and had a “99” each first ice cream of the summer.

  

End of the canal these are 48 hour moorings.

Motte and Bailey at Snarestone.

Water park, there were some huge carp here first fish Paul and Graham have seen in a while……..

We are waiting for prescriptions to be sent here so hopefully can be on the move again soon.